9 Tips for a Successful New Year

I’ve been through the gamut of the regular New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s to work on time management, being more punctual, or eating healthier, I’ve always found that my motivation dwindles as February hits. If you’re like me and don’t want to start the New Year off with a resolution failure, there are tons of tiny things you can do that can lead to a year of success.

1. Clean out your e-mail

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who never have unread e-mail and those that have 13,678 unread e-mails. While it’s not a mess of things that would land you on an episode of Hoarders, it’s mental clutter, for sure. Take some time to go through the unread e-mails or just flat out delete them all and start over!

2. Check your credit score

Every January I check my credit score. While most of you might not have a ton of credit history, you can’t avoid not knowing it for much longer. If you are looking to buy/lease a car, own a house, and/or rent an apartment in college, you won’t be getting any of those things if your score is too low. To know your score means you can make adjustments now that will set you up for financial success later. Credit Karma is a great place to start: free reports, credit monitoring, and credit scores.

3. Drink more water

If weight loss is part of your resolutions this year, water is a huge part of that. Even if you don’t change a ton about your eating/fitness habits, drinking more water every day makes you feel fuller and thus, you'll eat less!

4. Organize your space at least once a month

When things are messy, you aren’t at your best. Think of the time you spend trying to find things when your room is in disarray. By the time you find whatever you’re looking for, you’re tired and ready for a nap. (Just me?) Keep your living area organized to keep your mind clear.

5. Get a calendar

This may seem old school with the technology we have available, but I love me a calendar. I find that when I write meetings, assignments, and events down, I remember them more, and my calendar is always on my desk so I can see the month in advance.

6. Start saving...a little

A few weeks ago I came across a post on social media that said, "For the past year, I put away every $5 bill that came into my possession. To date, I've saved $3,335." It’s really hard as a high school, college, or graduate school student to save money, so this method works to kick-start a good emergency fund—or maybe a slight alternative to calling your parents all the time for some extra cash.

7. Social media clean-up

There are two things you can do in the social media realm. First, unfriend and unfollow friends whom you no longer speak to, who are super annoying, or whom you just don’t like anymore. Why keep that negative energy around when, with a click of a button, you can remove it from your life?

Second, if you’re applying to college or looking for a job, take stock of all of your posts and pictures. Now more than ever, recruiters and colleges are checking prospective applicants out through social media, and it is playing a huge role in their decisions.

8. Create a LinkedIn page

LinkedIn is a critical part of the job search—it’s a great way to make a first impression on businesses looking for new employees and could lead to a job you were never expecting! Businesses and recruiters are more likely to turn to LinkedIn first to check out your qualifications. If they can’t find you, do you think they will call you in for an interview?

9. Apply for at least one scholarship a day

There are a bajillion scholarships out there. Literally a bajillion. I’ve counted. Okay, maybe not...but I work in the CollegeXpress scholarship database daily, and our team is always looking for the really fun awards that all of you can apply for.

I once read something saying that millions of dollars go unpaid to students in the scholarship area because no one applies. If you apply to just one scholarship a day, you could easily pay off a few semesters of school in just a month. Keep a look out for our Scholarship Saturday postings where we pick some of our favorite scholarships that almost anyone can apply to and go home with some serious cash.

Whatever your resolution is—big or small—I wish you a happy and healthy New Year!

Note: Did you know you could win a $10,000 scholarship for college or grad school just by registering on CollegeXpress? This is one of the quickest, easiest scholarships you’ll ever apply for. Register Now »

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About Megan Gibbs

Megan is the Assistant Director of Online Marketing and Analytics Carnegie Communications, where she has worked since graduating from Merrimack College in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. When not daydreaming about winning an Emmy or Oscar as a screenwriter, she spends her days working as Wintergreen’s editor for colleges and universities in the Southeast and building their scholarship database. As an avid sports fan and high school athlete herself, Megan not only looks forward to all Boston sports seasons, but also can't wait to root for her younger sister as she begins her Merrimack College softball career as a catcher this upcoming fall. She hopes to provide a fun and unique look at college and university-level athletics from March Madness, scholarships, and recruitment to intramurals and athletic culture!

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